Category: Jobs and Employment
I am trying to find out types of jobs that a totally blind person could do. I have no college education; I only have a high school diploma. Also, I just got out of high school not too long ago, so I have never worked. Therefore, I have no job experience in any field. Can anyone give me any ideas? Also, is it very difficult for a blind person to find a job these days? I am specifically looking for jobs in the Austin, Texas area, but any general ideas about job types or fields with my education and experience as low as it is would be appreciated. Thanks!
Safiyah
In short not much..
In answer too your questions.
Yes it is hard for a blind person to find a job, it might be easier with a college degree but I don't know.
There are jobs that do require only a high-school deploma.
I would suggest looking somewhere like career builder and see what listings they have for your area.
Also you should be able to get set up with your state services for the blind and they can help too.
Hope this helps.
what would you like to do for work? disregard education or the lack of it for a minute and just give me some ideas of your ideal type of work.
Well I like to help people. Also, I like doing work that involves computers, such as word processing or internet and things like that. I did some volunteer work tutoring some first graders a few years ago, and I liked doing that a lot, but I am not sure if I could do that now as that may just be a part time job. I am looking for full-time employment. I may try to even do one full time job and try to do a part-time job at home also if that is feasible and if the full-time job doesn't pay much. Thanks.
I haven't worked iether. I have been out of high school for 9 years. I have done some work experinces but that was a long time ago to. At the moment I am studdying ECDL European Computing Driving Licence. It is computers.
Burger King?
lol the only problem with hat is I I don't know how to cook or flip burgers lol. I guess I may have to learn that skill quickly if I want a job. lol
why don't you try telemarketing?
Customer service would be better.
that is you don't mind being humg up on or insulted.
Y don't you try to get your degree? There are online colleges that will be more then happy to acomadate you. All you would need to open up your rode to better jobs is an assoate degree, that's 2 years out of your life. But if you really don't want to do college for some rezon the best way to get into anything is thrue volentearing. Make your imployer no that if they hired you as a payed worker that they would not luze anything. that is what I am doing, or trying to do. I am still wateing on word. Good luck with what ever you deside on.
I hate when people say you need college to get a job! You don't, I don't care who you are, yeah I may not have a job yett, but I am happy with the school I am going to. I am able to get my MCSE certification, without having to take all the unnecessary crap that comes with college. So yeah, and with this certification, I'll be alot more qualified to do more of the things I wanna do, don't listen to these people that tell you that you need college to find work. Sure, it would make things easier for you, but no one ever said finding a job was easy anyways. Take care.
Jess
I wouldn't say that you can't get a job without a college education, but that it depends on where your interests lie. If they are in the teaching profession, for example, you will need to get a teaching cirtificate in most states. Some states will allow you to work as a teacher while getting your cirtificate, while others won't allow you to teach full time until you have obtained it. If you want to get in to the helping profession, you will need to go to college for sure. You can get a decent job as a social worker with a batchlors degree depending on what it is you want to do specifically, but some social work jobs require masters' degrees. The only area here where I could see you starting to gain expperience without getting a college degree is to volunteer your time for one of those chrisis hotlines. They often take volunteers, and will allow you to take calls while being supervised after a few weeks of training. Now if you want to become a theropist or something like that, a minimum of a masters' degree will be required, and in most cases, a PHD if you want to open your own legal practice. Telemarketing would be a good idea if you were interested in going in to sales, since you can listen to how others get sales successfully and model your approach after therirs'. The few highly successfull salespeople that I know got their start that way. HTH.
Yes I am thinking about doing something like customer service. I am just looking for a job so I can work in the U.S. until my husband can come as a permanent resident. When he comes, I plan to get a degree. But right now I just need something to support myself and also make enough for the affidavit of support that I am required to fill out. I have to make 125 percent of the poverty line for that. Thanks everyone that has replied so far! Safiyah
Lonestar wrote:
I hate when people say you need college to get a job! You don't,
----
I whole heartedly agree.
I too am going for my m c s e
At the same time working full time as a paper pusher.
Umm I mean, scanning operator.
*ssnicker*
I don't yet have a college degree, yet I have worked as a technical support agent, network administrator and now even as a technical writer! If you're recently out of high school, I'd strongly recommend that you go for your degree first and ask for assistance with that from Vocational Rehab. After you've been working for awhile, you're perceived as not needing those services, so VR becomes less willing to help. Put the "system" to your best benefit here; go for the degree early! I wish I had finished mine for sure!
Someone here mentioned online. Any leads on which options are actually reasonably accessible these days?
Safiyah,
Iworked for Americorps (still never figured out how to spell it). That gave me invaluable skills as a person with a disability. It is a program that I describe as the domestic peace core. It is thought of as paid vollenteer work. Each chapter has different objectives, and you can find out contact information by googleing them. the website is www.americorps.org. Another good thing about this organzation is that when one finishes the hours that one is suppose to work, the program gives one money towards education. This is to the tune of 4 thousand 7 hundred and thirty dollars. Mind you, this was ten years ago that I did this program so I would guess that because of inflation everything has gone up. At the time I made seven hundred and fifty dollars for full time work. Combined with my SSI, I think I was doing pretty well.
Alright let me merit myself for a moment. This program allowed me to become a mentor, create a peer group for persons with visual impairments, create the success with disabilities presentation which I presented in front of various elamentary and middle school students. That won me the first award from the commission on disabilities in the state of maryland, I sat on a board for vollenteer Frederick, a non profit organzation, I sat on the Access board for the governers office, I spoke on behalf of Americorps in front of the governer and delegats, and I was the key note speaker for the 2002 - 2003, (don't quote me on the dates) for the Frederick County Public Schools Graduation. There are a host of other things I did with and for americorps, but those are the most memorable Oh yeah, and one only has to be 18, out of high school, and ready to learn and grow.
Nem .
go to a trade school. I did and loved it.
Hmmm! Well there's babysitting (that is if you know the neighbours well enough so they trust you with the kids and more importantly, if the kids get on all right with you. In fact, I'm babysitting tomorrow morning (or rather, riding shotgun while my Aunt delivers her pepperpot magazines with my fave little cousin zonked in the back, bless 'im). She likes someone to be in the car with him while she's out dropping off the boxes. Other than that, working in Woolworths (woollies) or BurgerKing, Maccie Ds or KFC, I don't hold out much hope for anybody finding work with no College quallifications.
Jen.
That's sad, not to mention frustrating how blind people are just expected to go to college just because it will make it "easier" for us. So wasting your time doing something you don't want to do is OK as long as you get a fat paycheck? No way. Thank you to the original poster for thinking outside the box and wanting to get ideas on what to do so you can get a job without a college degree, because honestly, college doesn't automatically make you happy and successful. To me success is about how happy you are, and going to college would make me miserable, so I wouldn't feel successful. I hope some of you can keep the suggestions coming with good ideas for jobs we could do without a college degree, because I sure am sick of hearing all the time about how I have to go to college.
I too am currently working for ameriCorps.
I know it's interesting I went from getting my MCSE, which I did get btw to working on finding housing for people with disabilities. I love it though. Working for ameriCorps has given me alot of experiences and especially if you wanna work in the nonprofit or federal government stuff, it's definitely an avenue you might wanna try.
Jess
Hi all,
Would AmeriCorps be OK with people that have a child? I have a six-month-old baby, so I am wondering if they will let me work with them for that reason?
as ong s ou an ind day are no employer should turn ou away. It's ot ven egal or an intervewer o sk in an nterview f the future employee has child.
omg candi, what kinda garbage was that, lol.
As far as ameriCorps, yes, they actually give you money for child care I believe if you qualify so it's something you might wanna consider...
Jess
I didn't quite understand that one myself, actually. something about an interview, and a child ...
what type of jobs will you do if you work with americorps? Could i bring my guide dog gretta with. i'm gona look in to it.
I find this whole thing disturbing: not the posers, but the situation.
The problem is not only for people without a college education; it's for people who lose their jobs.
If you're out of high school, you need money. Well, frankly so did I when I lost my consulting business several years ago.
In Spain they have it right I think, the organization ONCE owns a whole industry - the lottery - and people work in it at all different levels, from design to manufacturing (of lottery games and such) to data systems admin / data entry / all that, the thing is they own the whole industry plus the industry that supplies canes and things to other blind folks.
That means you work in the industry with your skills.
We're blind so when between jobs or, in your situation, just starting out, and can't run down to the local grocery store or cab company and grab something to pay the bills while looking for something within the career, or just to work there.
Ironically, I had sighted friends who experienced the same around the same time I did, and all of us were classed "over-qualified" for low-end tech weenie jobs we'd all done as pups in the mid 90s, so don't feel like it's you *laugh* we're all college-educated guys and work our asses off all day long. Yet, my friends went and got cab driving or grocery store jobs, while I had to wait awhile and enroll in the Blind Vendors program. I'm fortunate it was there, but what with working six days a week many times, and doing the routine, the profit margins are so low you have to use the public tit just to make it. Then to get on that, you have to been out of work for an extended period of time just to get in, and all that.
That is not a slight against the blind vendors program, I only wish they actually owned a full industry as does ONCE so they'd have half a chance at making it. I'm lucky / blessed / fortunate to have got back in my real field several years ago ... but not the rest of 'em stuck doing that.
How I would *love* to be a rich guy and basically buy out an industry / corporate group and turn its control / operations over to blind folks including all the low-end stuff so people that are either like you, or ironically 'overqualified' and just got laid off, can get jobs and most important earn money.
Weird and privileged and messed up how the first question from agency types is 'So ... what is it you want to do?' ... um? That would be pay the rent, numbnuts! And we pay for these dumbasses which boggles my mind ... probably why they run into budget problems? and obvious shortage of knowledge on the fact money doesn't grow on trees.
I know that didn't help you get something, though you may consider the vendors program in your area as at least it's something, but you are in business for yourself, and depending on the state may have to jump some hoops / go through training (unpaid, I might add), sort of like what a young person does who wants to apprentice into something though the length of time varies from state to state and at least what they told me, how much you bust your ass. Well that's a paraphrase of what they told me.
I don't know if the earnings will be high enough to exceed what Immigration wants from what you said.
Also you have to be really good with people, or hire someone who is. I say this because while I was not unpleasant, I lacked the salesman-type persona I saw some successful people have. My books were always in the black and the units ran efficiently / were clean but to be frank that doesn't cut it. You also have to have that ... yunno barrista personality. I hired one at the last unit, and while people came to me with problems and such, the one they remembered was her. Just some stuff to think about I guess.
i know what your going through without a college degree I hve limited work experience to, and i only quit my job because i thought my former rehab counsellor was gonna send me and my guide dog to lions world for there customer service training program.
But he changed his mind at the last moment so now i'm back at square one.
I did apply to that new customer service training thing through industries for the blind but i haven't heard back from them. I'm not gonna give up if my stepdad can become a truck driver without a college degree then there must be stuff i can do. I haven't looked in to the vending prgoram mainly because math is not my strong suit.
I did go t a training center for the blind here in minneapolis so that helped me larn to travel and the other stuff that goes along with it so yes i agree you should try one of those.
Good luck to you!
The math you have to do for vending is just add subtract multiply divide and percents.
At least that's what the normal people do lol weird geeks like me ended up doing charts and equations in Excel to determine rates of turnover. You can do that with a calculator, a spreadsheet and due diligence every day. Lots of people who were far more successful than I was did a lot less math; just the add subtract and percentages basically. Most of what you need for the vending program besides a willingness to bust ass is a salesman personality I think.
There are lots of jobs that you can do. You have to talk with your department of the blind person to see if you can be put into programs that will gain you work training. You can also go for little licenses like food handler,CPR You can become a tech person for adaptive companies A soft where installer census worker
I found this pretty sad, but when I talked to the career counselor in my area after getting out of high school, not only did she tell me I would have to go to college, but when I gave her my career of choice, and the school, and told her I was having some trouble getting them to accept me because of my blindness, she just said: Well, what else can you do where they'll accept you? Massage therapy probably won't make you successful anyway.
Well, I don't care if I have to go to college to get what I want. The point is, a lot of people think, and tell you, that you have to get a Masters or a PHD to be able to do anything. Well, I've known real examples where that wasn't the case at all.
Okay, as a college grad, I understand that a degree isn't exactly for everyone. However, blind or sighted, it does give you more employment opportunities. I have read so many help wanted ads where it states "college degree preferred (usually a Bachelor's), or any combination of education and experience. While education isn't the key always, it does improve one's possibilities. Even better, if it's combined with experience. Like a couple of posters, I'm in AmeriCorps, and for the most part, it's been a good experience. I have other paid and volunteer work as well though. To the original poster, depending on what kind of work you want to do, you may be able to apply for an internship. I had to do one for my degree, and it was kind of fun. I actually had a vocational rehabilitation counselor tell me that volunteering was a great way to gain valuable work experience. So far, it's worked. I think it's a good idea for people to have more than one career ambition. Sorry, but blind or sighted education looks better on a resume, no matter if it's from a trade school or college. Speaking from experience, I think I've been taken a lot more seriously by potential employers since I've gotten a degree. it showed that I was committed to my education. Now if you don't want to go to college, find some type of work,even if it's volunteer to start with that will get you some experience. It might suck at first to not have a paycheck, but believe me, it will probably pay off for you in the long run.
yeah i agree with the above poster...I have a b.s and lately i have been finding out that you really need work experience to get a job these day...although i have volunteer work experience, it doesn't seem to be enough however, it is an asset to my education
No matter what sort of fantcy-pantts education you sport, job hunting can be a task requiring backbone and a high tolerance for rejection.
To Star Cannon, that's great you have some work experience, even if it's volunteer. If you can't find a regular job, try to really focus on getting more experience in the field you studdied in, if you still want to continue with that path. You could always discuss this with a career or vocational rehabilitation counselor. To everyone, don't forget ow important resume and cover letter writing are. Rejection sucks, but eventually, you'll find something that's a good fit.
I think a lot of the problems are experience related. I've known a few people with masters degrees with no job to this day. Why? Because as soon as employers saw little experience on their resumes, the job went to someone else. That's why I like the idea of volunteering. People might be a little more willing to accept people with little experience because they are not required to pay you for your work.
I like the idea of volunteering, but another problem I have is that if I volunteer I would still need to get child care for my daughter, which I could not afford if I am not working and making money at the same time. Does anyone here know of places that allow you to bring your child/children with you while volunteering? If I could find somewhere like this, then I could bring her with me, although she just turned 2 years old last month, so the employer I volunteer for may not want me to bring her, but maybe there are places that have child care available or something?
I was just wondering, because if I could figure out a way to volunteer and work out child care and/or bring my daughter with me, then I could do it and gain more experience.
Misty
Every agency is different. You could always try to do something hotline related like I did. Perhaps there is another volunteer who you work with that might be able to switch shifts with you. Lots of agencies know that people have different schedules. So many nonprofits are strapped for volunteers, that I'm sure you could maybe find an agency that might be able to help you with this. Especially one dealing with children.
Also, if you get a volunteer position where you can work from home, you can still be with your child at home and keep an eye on her. The only thing is that you would need to try to find something besides you that would entertain her while you worked, especially if your work involved phone calls.
But be ware of the work at home scams.